Toy gun.



No. 7|5,547. Patented Dec. 23, i902.

E. J. HWARD. 4

TOY GUN.

(Application Bled June 12, 1902.)

-EDWARD J.. HOWARD, 'or NEW YORK,

York,'in the county of New York and State. of New York, have invented certain new andl ber ball which serves as a missile.

UNITED.4 'STATES NPA-TEN OFFICE-vf y 'i BRUNSEN AND saunas,v SWEET, or :PROVIDE-NGE', RHODEisLAND.;

sracrrrcA'rroN forming par: of Letters ratentNo. 716,547, ma De'cemr as. -1 902- To alt'wh'om it may concern: v l Beit knownthat I, EDWARD J HOWARD, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at New useful Improvements in.'Toy Guns, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Like letters indicate like parts. Figurel 1 is a perspective view of my improved toy gun in action. Fig-l 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3. isla longitudinal section on line a: .fr of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a partial view of my invention as seen on line w w of Fig. 2 when the loose outer sleeve is in contact with the iixed collar. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the powder cracker used as i the explosive charge 4of my improved toy gun. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the soft-rnb- Figs". 7 and` 8 are perspective views illustrating modifled forms of the handle of theftoy gun. Fig.

9 is a view showing a modified 4form of the means for closingthe fuse-aperture of the barrel of said toy gun.

My invention relates to4 toy guns; and it consists of the novel construction and combi- 4nation of the several parts, as hereinafterl described and specifically set forth in the claims.

A is a continuous tube or barrel made of pasteboard, sheet metal, or other suitable material A block B, made of wood or other proper substance, is inserted and secured in position within the bore ofthe tube A, at one end thereof, as best'shown in Fig. 3. A flxed collar C surrounds the tube A. The tube A is open at its outer end, as shown in Fig. 3, and constitutes the barrel of the toy gun. -It is provided with a small slot or aperture, as seen in Figs. 3 and 4, preferably rectangular in shape and located a short distance above the inner end of the block B. Aloose sleeve or collar D its rotatably on the barrel A and is made with a smallslot or aperture b,which` and b so register, the lower edge of the .sleeve Application filed Iune12,190`2. vSerial No. 111,362. (No model.)

in Figs.'2 and 3. A powder cracker E, having the usual fuse N. Y., ASSIGNR To -EDwARD or collar D is separated a shortdistance from the upper edge of the fixed' collar C, as seen c, is inserted through the slots'b and a into the interior of the barrel A, -as illustrated in Fig. l3, the fuse c protruding. from said slots, as there represented. 'i AA Asoft hollow rubber ball F (having the usual air-hole d,.as `seen in Fig. 3) has such a diameter as to snugly fit in the bore of the barrel A, within the open end thereof, and should be pressed down therein. The sleeve or collar D is then moved ,down the barrel A until itslower edge abuts the upper edgeof the ixed'collar C, and at the same time it isv slightly rotated, the v` result of these move ments being -that the sleeve D, acting as'a valve, almost closes the slot a of the barrel A,leaving only a vvery small aperture, as shownin Figs. 1, 4, and 7, through which api.

erture the loose end of th'e fuse c ofthe powder cracker E freely extends. In Fig. -1 the relative positions ot" these slots a. and'b are represented, the former being indicatedby4 dotted lines.

By applying'V a slow match or otherwise igniting the freely-extending end of the fuse c of 'the-powder cracker E the explosionv of theA powder cracker 1s caused in the conned' space or chamber within the barrel formed between the inner end of the block B and thefl ball F. As the almost complete covering of the slot a of the barrel A by the sleeve D lpractically closes that vent, the whole force.

of the combustion-gases resulting from the explosion of the powder cracker is exerted in expelling the ball F, which being thus forclbly driven out of the barrel A is projected to'- a considerable distance. When the ball F has thus been expelled from the barrel A the parts ,of the cracker E remaining after the explosion will fall out of said latter is inverted.

limit the downward movement of the loose barrel .when the The collar C isiixed in its position upon the tube A, as shown, and constitutes a vstop to l collar or sleeveD and also serves as a fmger- `guard to preventthe sliding of'` the hand too near the burning fusec D Instead of having a straight handle made I up of the lower endvof the tube A and the inserted block B a more convenient shape may be given to the handle, adapting it to the hand, as show n at G in Fig. 7, or the handle may be formed into the shape of the 'buttof a pistol, as shown atA H in Fig. 8. The loose sleeve or collar D may be dispensed with,'if desired, and a cover e may be pivotally mountedv on the barrel A, as illustrated in Fig. 9, which will serve to partially close the aperture a of the barrel A for the purpose already explained.

The soft-rubber ball is easily compressed so as' to serve as a. wad in the barrel A, and

thus to confine the combustion-gases resulting from the explosion of the charge until they have reached the proper intensity of force to expel the ball. This ball being soft Vis harmless in its effects and cannot break,

injure, or damage anything it strikes.

This implement constitutes an attractive toy for use in the celebration of Independence day and on other festive occasions. I claim as a novel and useful invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The improved toy gun herein described, consisting of a tube or barrel having an aperture through one side thereof, a hand-le inserted in and'closing one end of said tube, I

anda collar or sleeve loosely'mountedon said tube and provided with an aperture registering with the aperture of said tube, which loose collar or sleeve is capable of movement to partially coverthe rstnamed aperture,

aperture, which 1'\ose collar or sleeve is movable into contact with said fixed collar and s0 to partially'cover the first-named aperture, substantially as specified.

l In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

v EDWARD J. HOWARD.l

Witnesses:

M. L. DONAHUE, J. H. REILLY. 

